Acclimated
by SHORTFRY
Summary: A fleeting intrigue. Passing encounters. A reason to seek. Oneshot written for the SessKag Valentine's Big Bang 2020 Challenge. [AU][SessKag]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is my first finished fic, meant as a short oneshot split out into 5 chapters. Written for the SessKag Valentine's Big Bang. The lovely Elvis has created an accompanying fanart, please check it out! (remove the spaces: w w w . dokuga gallery?func=detail&id=11483)

**Prompt:** Sweet Nothings

**Disclaimer:** Credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi for our favourite characters.

**Acclimated**

**Chapter 1**

Nightfall began to set in a timeless routine dance, chasing away the sun's last glimmering rays. It wasn't long before the chill started creeping steadily over the hills coating in phantom silence. The lone figure knew little time was left to safely wander about in the dark, but her task was not yet complete. She refused to go back empty-handed. It wasn't pride that concerned her; this was survival.

Discreetly, the young woman waited under the covers of the overgrowth, carefully studying the oblivious beast from across a grass-covered clearing. The only discernable movement was the slight fluttering of her blue hakama in the gentle breeze before fading into the forest psithurism. She inhaled inaudibly through slightly parted lips, exhaling only after a prolonged moment of restrained caution. Holding still her steady aim, arms were rigid as her posture tensed. She was a statue of patience.

It was a quiet evening, not unusual in this part of the forest, nor was it calming. Once upon a time, the woods held a melodic rhythm of creatures and critters. It since dimmed and simmered to the imperceptible silence it was now. It seemed only bareness remained; a hallow emptiness. She knew, though, of what her reverie of this gradual change meant. A distant memory. An insurmountable loss.

Willfully ignoring the beckoning urge to reminisce, attention was refocused to the grazing creature.

Moments passed in observance before a proper opening appeared. Fingers slacked and the bowstring rung. The arrow shot towards the unsuspecting boar. Wide eyes trailed the darting path… only for it to _miss. _Startled, the animal escapes.

Frustration grumbled through the girl as stealth was quickly abandoned. Launching to her feet, she pursued the swine. _Get back here! _

Eyeing her target's intended path, the huntress swiftly pivoted to the left in a sudden leap, small hands gripping onto a pointed tusk. She almost smirked triumphantly. Clambered onto the matted-haired back of the wild animal, victory was momentary before the boar bucked and punted, flipping the girl over in a furious show of grit.

A bruising pain erupted through her side upon the sharp landing, knocking the wind out heaving lungs. _Well, this is kind of pathetic_, she sarcastically mused. How many times had she hunted without so much as breaking a sweat? Begrudgingly she eased into a seated position, a scowl etched onto hampered features knowing the animal was now long gone. All that effort was for naught.

Just about to get up to make her leave, a tiny round object caught her attention, and annoyance quickly faded into blossoming angst.

_No no no no!_ She panicked, dropping onto hands and knees. Frantic fingers began gathering the fallen rosary beads. Time was of the essence, as she recalled the forewarning for when and if the rosary ever breaks. _This can't be happening now! Where are all the pieces…_

Too preoccupied to notice a change in surroundings, it was in this position that a mysterious visitor crossed her path.

It watched and waited, though the wait was brief. Gnarly lips lifted in a foul display. "A _human_! I have not had such a _delicacy_ in years!" The new visitor rumbled in an almost sinister, gravelly tone. "I thought your kind to be extinct!"

The raven-haired girl glanced upwards in startled comprehension as the creature emerged from a shield of dark shadows. Sinking fear rankled through her body at the monstrous sight, pulling at her to run and make haste. The youkai before her stood hideously tall. Skin a sickening shade of scaly grey, ill-proportioned limbs and grotesque features maliciously eyed her stilling movements.

She caught her breath then as fight-or-flight instinct drove her scrambling to her feet, breaking into a full out sprint.

The vespertine youkai heaved a hearty laugh. "You think you can outrun me?" It then gave chase. "I do like my meals _lively." _

Dark tendrils of long ebony hair whipped wildly as she bolted through unpaved paths. Long arms of ancient evergreens snapped at sleeves in her hasty dash, branches leaving haphazard welts upon reddening skin. The forest caved, growing darker as the towering trees blocked the moon's guiding luminescence. The ogre was on her tail with heavy stomps vibrating the earth beneath. She was light on her feet, but fatigue was beginning to settle in worn calves. Pretty soon, escape would be futile without finding refuge.

Her panting ragged as blood pulsated rapidly through overworked veins. She inwardly berated herself at the lack of awareness; the lack of notice to such impending dangers. Wanting to see the distance between them, her head tilted to overlook a shoulder. Though large, the creature did not compromise on speed.

Determination spurred her movements faster, only to suddenly trip on an uprooted vine. Shoulders crashed first into a nearby oak. She hated her inopportune clumsiness.

"Finally done running, I see!" The hideous beast halted to a slowing pace in direction of the fallen girl. Each word it spoke left a lingering putridity almost enough to make her retch.

Turning to face the monstrous being, her jaws clenched in mild annoyance, vexed at her own fumbling. "I'd still be running if I hadn't tripped!" She was not going down without a fight. The injured girl quickly nocked an arrow and took aim, disregarding the searing ache from bruising shoulders. "Take one more step and I'll shoot you!"

The ominous youkai sneered in amusement, paying no heed to pitiful warnings from a _human_, no less. It continued forward.

Her arrow released without hesitation at the vile approach, wood and metal lodging straight into a scaly chest as black, viscous blood began to ooze.

A deafening yell sounded from the ogre in fury as it swung a heavy fist. Too fast for her to dodge, she was slammed against the trunk of a nearby tree. Her head dizzied in trying to find balance, a throbbing pulse stemming from where the back of head landed against solid wood. Rough bark scrapped against exposed forearms left bare by torn sleeves.

Peeved and hungry, the ogre bellowed. "**No more playing with my food. **_**Time to eat!**_"

The echoing statement of impending death brought forth one last vestige of clarity like receding clouds. Behind a fogging state of mind, determination focused in time to see the ogre lunge.

"No!" she screamed as both hands rose in a shielding form. "_**Go away!**_"

Suddenly, a bright blinding glow radiated in an unexpected explosion. The thunderous blast rippled through the surrounding area as the forest trembled in flowing shockwaves. Anticipating a painful death, she was confounded when all that was felt was a warming glow reminiscent of bathing sunlight.

Heavy lids slowly lifted to survey nearby surroundings. Somewhat expecting a devastated scene from the mysterious blast, the only thing amiss was the smoking char of where the ogre once stood. _What… What was that? _

Confusion mingled with heedful curiosity as the forest stilled, moments passing as if nothing had happened. Clueless as to what transpired or what had saved her, she finally released a long-held sigh, slumping back against the tree behind. Either through luck or through fate, she counted her blessings and suddenly felt drained. Limbs felt like lead, everything weighed. Dawning weariness made it increasingly difficult to remain awake. Maybe a little rest, then she'll be out of the woods.

However, just before giving in to a calling slumber, horripilation snaked down her spine, and drowsiness dispersed in shuddering trepidation.

Something _else_ was out there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Acclimated**

**Chapter 2**

The air became thick and stifling. An oppressing aura roiled through the boscage like a miasmic fog, seeping through each hollow and crevice. Eyes shot open in frenetic awareness as the darkness pressed upon in suffocating waves, a feeling so apparent it almost physically manifested. It tinged at outlying senses sending her immediately on edge, cutting through the earlier drowsiness like a scorching knife. Not wanting to be caught off guard again, she braced herself to stand while leaning for added support. Slender fingers instinctually curled tightly around a solid bow.

Her waning energy was ever apparent as the presence drew nearer. The girl dryly gulped down her boiling dread. "Show yourself! I know you're out there!" she vocalized in feigned bravery.

She should have been hiding, perhaps tried to flee. It was fatuous to think of befalling a being so powerful in her current state. But it was too late to back-track such thoughtless decisions, and she briefly wondered why she chose now to be bold.

A whisper of silk. Soft footfalls upon plush moss. It sounded from her right.

"Perceptive," came a voice in low baritone as the reticent figure revealed from darkened shadows.

Azure eyes gazed upon the human-like form standing mere yards away. Glimmers of the waning moon illuminated outlines of long silver strands and sharpened points of a spiked armour. Lush ivory fur and unspoiled white sleeves bristled in the evening zephyr. It was ironically deceptive, how appearances can be. The girl swiftly took aim with her weaponry.

"I-I don't want any trouble." Striving to keep her voice firm and vigorous, she continued with purpose. "Please take your leave."

Burning amber orbs observed her forged valiant stature. The slight tremble in her arm. The rigidity of her stance. And the positioning of the longbow. All clear indications of a neophyte in archery.

"You dare to _command_ me?" He intoned while beginning to pace.

The tip of her arrow traced every slow movement, sure to not waver from target this time. Perhaps it was exhaustion that's allowed such dauntless behaviour; too weary to keep hold of tactical forethought.

He soon had her encircled. Each step had been silent in its predatory precision, eliciting a sense of entrapment the closer he came. The light shifted then, casted shadows lifting to uncover a blue crescent beneath wispy bangs.

The girl gasped at the sight; a spark of recognition from past tales.

A terrorizing conqueror. A ruthless assassin. Youkai royalty.

Her stance did not falter as tangled thoughts raced. "I don't mean any disrespect, Sesshomaru-sama," she addressed with added formality. "I'm not sure what you're after, but I don't have anything to offer."

Keen intensity regarded her defensiveness_. Frightened, yet acts against instinct. _He paused to her left. Expectations were unequated. Sensing a surge of reiki, he had followed in search of the source. It was a power not seen in many years. And yet, to have felt such concentration of it so close to his lands, he had to admit it was intriguing. What he did not expect, was finding a lone mortal girl. A ruse, possibly? He needed to see. "Display your powers."

Brows furrowed in confusion, though not faltering from aim. Instead, confidence wavered knowing efforts would likely be futile. Never to have felt such a domineering aura before, she questioned her sanity if she _really_ was standing before such an adversary. Tamping down rising nervousness, she replied. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any powers."

_She chooses deceit. _Even now, he can _smell_ the lingering mist of magic, _sense_ it in expanded awareness. Eyeing the girl impassively, a flicker of a frown marred pale features before a stoic mask settled. If he was not going to receive answers, he would be done with this diversion. "Then you are of no consequence."

Flexing claws called forth a swell of visible youki, manifesting into glowing green whips that crepitated in lethal sparks. With a flick of a wrist, an attack was launched.

The bowstring thrummed as the arrow released.

Strands of black fell, strips of white fluttered. Washes of red.

His attack had been quick and she had barely escaped, dodging in time for it to only slice and not completely sever.

Numinous power had exuded steadily along her arrow's misguided path, electrifying the air and confirming his assumption. Irate of such a feeble purification attempt, he charged forth in one fluid motion. She was suddenly pinned by the neck.

Gasping, the girl desperately raked at the arm holding her immobile, each panicked movement inducing more blood to spill from her lacerated arm.

"S-Stop-…let go-" she pleaded, voice croaking as sharp claws tightened.

Glowing red peered upon his prey in heightening displeasure. First, she had ordered _him_; a cardinal lord, _daiyoukai of the West_. No one had ever dared to give him commands. Then, she had used deception to befit her advantage. This behaviour was unacceptable, and he was not lenient. Deadly fingers gradually tightened further upon her throat. Her hands were wrapped desperately around a striped wrist in vain attempt to disarm, dark orbs searching beseechingly into his for release. Shallow trickles of breath flowed through thinning airways, reverberating under his palm as a dwindling pulse echoed rhythmically in his ears.

Impartial to the sight before him, Sesshomaru decided then to end it. As his thumb began to press upon the breaking point, an erumpent jolt of sizzling energy burned, causing the release of his hold. Snapping back his hand, the girl fell to her knees while grasping a bruised collar at each laborious inhale.

Quizzical attention turned to the sensation at his wrist, though outwardly his demeanour remained unreadable. The initial burn had faded to a warming tingle. Turning his palm around to survey the other side, he found it ever peculiar. The sensation had not been unpleasant, lingering warmth encircling where her hands had been wrapped. He recalled his encounters with past monks and priestesses, but non he had known to be able to leverage reiki without a conveyor. How was it that this weak human girl able to conjure up such power through a bare touch? Had this been her plan all along, to get him close enough for direct touch? Irritation boiled as his youki flared. "You planned this," he snarled. _A mendacious tactic. _

"No!" she uttered hoarsely, finally catching a proper breath, "I..I didn't even know I can do that!"

She was honestly just as surprised herself. The sensation felt at her earlier encounter with the ogre had returned, this time dancing erratically beneath each fingertip. It wasn't until now that she recognized it for what it was, and some semblance of pride blossomed within. Though her father had come from a long line of priests, it was always believed that spirituality skipped her, aside from the ability to sense demonic auras. And even then, she was barely capable.

Sesshomaru contemplated her claim. Perhaps she speaks the truth. _An untrained miko, _he pondered. Her kind was a rarity even in days gone by. And rarer now, when humans were scarce. Regardless, his curiosity had been quelled. The source had been found.

He took an irrevocable step towards the girl as she guardedly started backing away.

His eyes narrowed a carnivorous gleam, and she started to run.

In an instant, the pursuit began.

It was inefficacious. Blood had trailed. The chase was brief. He has her cornered.

Tired legs gave out, body collapsing to the ground. Quivering palms dug into cooling dirt as buckling arms kept her upright. Unconsciousness began tugging at her enervated state, threatening to overcome. Attempts were made to call forth the discovered dormant power, but nothing came from such novice efforts. Not even a glint. She felt herself fading; fighting against fatigue, but losing. Blurring vision shaped Sesshomaru's unwavering approach.

Pristine silk on an aristocrat. An executioner. "_Human_, prepare to die."

The edge in his voice asserted her fate, and if this was to be her end, she refused to remain nameless. Bleary orbs gleamed in defiant resignation as darkness and exhaustion finally arrived. "Not _human_," came her frail, stubborn whisper. "_Kagome._"


	3. Chapter 3

**Acclimated**

**Chapter 3**

Bitter wind swept between the ever-changing landscape, howling through mountains and twisting through valleys in announcement of autumn's arrival. It left behind a crisp caress in its wake, blanketing the prone figure tucked beneath long boughs of a towering pine. Cold autumn settled over the slumbering girl, infiltrating a dreamless sleep. Unconsciously curling further for added warmth, Kagome began to stir in awareness of her own movements.

Distant notes of chirping birds and the chime of bristling leaves signalled the forest's awakening. Sounds became clearer as haziness faded from weary eyes, slowly opening to the sight of dawning light.

Washes of pink and orange painted the sky in pastel strokes as dark lashes lifted to the mesmerizing scene. She was ensconced in calmness, savouring the moment while gazing upon passing clouds. If this was the afterlife, she would not have minded.

_The afterlife_ – a provoking thought that caused her to suddenly rise in alarm. _Am I dead?_

A wave of vertiginous disorientation flooded from her jarring rise. The numbing mask of dreamlike serenity lifted as reality gave passage to heightened senses. Kagome winced as the pounding headache became more pronounced. A hand reached behind to rub at a rising bruise, pulling back to see crusted blood. Examining her palm, images resurfaced as she reflected on recent events.

_He didn't kill me… _Cautious glances scanned the area, taking notice of the same surrounding from before her slumber. A subtle tranquility. No ominousness remained. _He's…gone._

It felt odd, to be wondering why her life was spared. She had been certain of death; even accepted it, too. To be alive was unexpected, and the unanswered thought was grating. Had she given up too easily? She took stock of injuries then, finally feeling the full weight of her exhaustion. Bumps and bruises purpled and blued in mosaics of unappealing colours. Checking her arm's laceration, it was a relieving sight to see it had stopped bleeding and was starting to scab over.

Kagome leveraged the other arm to push off the ground with care. Finding her footing to stand was taking immense effort; each movement painful, each step strained. Though not familiar with this part of the land, she had kept track of the direction fled the night before. The concealed village wasn't far, and before long, she was stopping at a quiet clearing.

Upon her approach, the ambiance hummed. A tickle of magic, and a barrier revealed. Her whole body relaxed with a sigh of relief. She had made it home.

Determination was evident upon tightly knitted brows. Tracking a wandering hare had required stony concentration. It had been a full cycle of the moon since her last hunt, and though berries and vegetation sustained the passing weeks, she needed strength from what only meat can provide.

Moments to releasing an arrow at the plump mass of fur, she paused when an eerie familiarity tugged at peripheral senses. Kagome stopped motionless, frozen in place.

An unearthly suspicion. The hare scurried away.

Lowering the bow and plan abandoned, she quickly turned back towards the winding foot trail as uneasiness accompanied each hurried step.

Turn after turn the foreboding followed. She had been walking for the past while as the sun made its decent. However, the feeling of being watched was unshakeable. Each time she felt it mildly fade, apprehension only came back stronger to eat at her awareness. Unable to pinpoint its concealing source, Kagome finally stopped and decided to confront. "I know you're following me!"

Silence met her boastful declaration as she patiently waited. Listening intently, nothing was heard except for the swaying of trees. Crepuscular rays dappled between leaves, raining spotted patterns upon the grassy undergrowth in a peaceful scene. She questioned her sanity; paranoia can be so very detrimental.

Glancing around once more, Kagome slackened her shoulders, turning back towards the beaten path. Taking a step, she was caught by surprise at the sight ahead.

Molten gold. Magenta stripes. Pale ivory. A look of fixation, all focused on her.

Her reaction was fluid as the bow was drawn and the arrow flew.

The projectile was caught in mid-air, and then vanished in a vapour of acid.

Sesshomaru appeared suddenly in front of her in a whisper of silk. "Do not attempt that again."

She faltered a step back, levelling a guarded glare at the unexpected closeness. Unlike before, his expression seemed… subdued. The sharpness seemed blunted in the light of the day, a contrast to the vision that was casted in eerie moonlight. But she knew better; she had seen the promised danger disguised behind those glinting eyes. He towered over her as she nervously held her stance. There was no use running; he'd catch her in an instant.

After a prolonged moment of silence, he spoke evenly. "Who erected the barrier?"

_How…did he follow me back? _Inwardly she fretted at another careless misstep. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind that he would have her followed. Foolishly she believed he'd just let her go.

A low growl of warning reverberated when she continued to remain silent. Kagome swallowed the dryness in her throat, recognizing the unspoken threat. "My father. Before his death."

"Are there others?"

She did not want to answer, but knew the choice was not hers. He had found her, and for what purpose, she did not know, nor too eager to find out. "No. Everyone else had either fled before the insurgence, or perished during." Indifference layered his features. Kagome continued wryly. "I'm sure you know how that ended."

He acknowledged her pointed assertion. "They were defeated."

_They all died._ It had been a hard acceptance, a truth she had refused for weeks following the massacre. Memories called forth in painful grief. Tears brimmed at the corners of shuttering eyes and she turned away from him then, deciding to regard a blossoming chrysanthemum off in the distance.

Salt scented his nose. His voice remained even. "You use the barrier to stay hidden."

Threatening to fall, she wiped at stray tears before her mumbled reply. "It's the only safe place for me."

She loathed the position this demon had put her in; it was bitterly pathetic the way she unwound from a single memory. Steeling her composure, she packed away the pain to reclaim her calm.

Sesshomaru remained wordless, and when no further questions came, she decided to venture. "You didn't kill me last time."

Sensing the unasked question, he considered his reasoning. Why hadn't he? Her transgressions were enough to warrant death for anyone foolish enough to challenge him. Yet he had spared her, or left her to perish. Curiosity would bear the blame. "There is no honour in killing what was already half dead."

An updraft lifted her inky locks then, revealing a delicate face painted in solemnity. "Are you here to finish me off then?"

Sesshomaru did not respond immediately, allowing a long pause. "I sought answers."

It wasn't a denial. Would she continue to entertain his inquisitiveness to prolong death? Perhaps it was for the best; an easy way to finally reunite with her past. She shook inwardly at the thought, chiding herself for such a despondent notion. Deciding against such a defeatist attitude, resolve solidified. And she ran.

Within moments, she was up against a tree. A familiar circumstance. Running was a fool's ambition, yet she was rash enough to try anyway. A clawed hand pressed firmly on her shoulder, effectively keeping her pinned as the other held a struggling arm.

A racing heartbeat. Spiking distress. He inhaled deeply, recognizing faint undertones of lavender and citrus, lined with an acrid hint of fear.

Kagome faced him defiantly then, unwilling to surrender as she so carelessly did the first time. "Let me go! What are you- AAAH!"

A screamed ripped from her as intense pain radiated from the captured arm. Peering downwards she was met with a glaring incision trailed by a deadly claw. Scarlet pooled on the grass below as tear-stained eyes swivelled to see red-tinged amber.

"Call your reiki." His voice deepened, stripes jagged.

"What…I-I can't!" _What does he want?_

His thumb pressed deeper into breaking flesh, the lesion nearly extending the entire length of her forearm. She cried out at the intensity, wrenching and writhing yet unable to escape his grasp. "Please stop! Why are you doing this?"

Her sobbing screams turned to begging pleads. Bitter metallic flooded his nose, yet he continued, inhaling deeply, weaving through lavender and citrus to find _something_. He knew it to be there, and he was _close_. Anticipation was unlike him, yet he had waited. He had been _patient_.

He was getting closer still, as faint tendrils of her aura finally brushed against his heated skin and a new scent ripened. _Lemongrass_.

Youki sparked against rising reiki, entwining and eliciting. The swell of power ebbed and flowed without control, wildly flailing, untapped and untamed. A desire to conquer had rooted itself, demanded satisfaction. Her glowing energy spurred in growing intensity, and his restraint was at last unleashed. Overpowering waves of his beastly nature engulfed in all directions, creating a vortex of current and lime-green light before snuffing out her vibrancy in an instant.

A weight slumped, the wind quieted. Auras recoiled.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes, unaware they had been shut. The girl remained pinned by his grip; unmoving, unconscious. He steadily pulled away, realizing his nose had been buried in her neck and hair. How long had he been in this position? Had she bewitched him? He studied her then.

Breathing shallow, fading pulse. Only human, but... _What _else_ are you?_

Claws twitched unknowingly, still pressed against skin, still drawing blood. His grip quickly released at the notice, holding the lifeless arm close for inspection.

Garish crimson upon raised skin, white sleeves soaked in red. _She's good as dead._

But, the thought was unsettling. This, he did not understand, and found it disquieting. He needed more answers.

The acidity of blood masked notes of lavender citrus and lemongrass. And for reasons unknown, he had the impulse to wash away the metallic tones. Bringing her injury to his lips, his tongue darted out, licking away the wound he had caused.


	4. Chapter 4

**Acclimated**

**Chapter 4**

Kagome grumbled quietly after an escaping sneeze, miffed at the frigid season. It was the beginning of winter and she had already fallen ill. Frosty hands pulled at thick outer layers, closing the gap to keep in the circulating warmth. It was supposed to have been a short journey; a two-day trek. But she miscalculated; underestimated. Now, the storm blew her off-course.

Laboured steps continued along the winding trail up mountainous terrains. Icy winds bit at pinking cheeks, deepening a regret of not being more prepared. The higher altitude felt leagues colder compared to the valleys protected by towering foliage. Finding it useless to dwell, she pushed forth.

It was late in the afternoon when the forking trail came into sight. Glad to see the familiar landmark, she turned to the left, taking the steeper uphill path along the escarpment. In another few hours, a small clearing had emerged. And by the time she had reached said clearing, the sky had turned a darkened grey.

Settling down, she rested against an outcrop while massaging tired legs. Contented sighs ghosted over cool lips as deft fingers rubbed soothing circles over knotted muscles. After a few light stretches, Kagome took in the sight of the frost-covered pinnacle, and set about gathering the required herb. Low supplies and the ailing season had prompted this journey, and if only she had set out a week before, she wouldn't have been caught in such dreary weather.

It had taken much longer than expected foraging for medicinal plants, but the task was now complete and the return journey finally commenced. The steep descent proved more challenging, taking longer to trek and requiring more carefulness in each wayward step. As she neared the next plateau, a wave of light-headedness caused her to stumble, dropping her basket and spilling its contents.

Pausing to collect herself and her fallen things, a decision was made to take a short rest. Leaning against the mountainside, wonderment stared agape at the vast expanse of the sloping landscape. The gloomy forecast shuttered the warmth of any sunlight, instead bathing the atmosphere in misty fog. Past the short ledge was a direct descent, lending her to absentmindedly check both footing's stability.

Puffs of white began to drift gingerly, landing on fluttering lashes of closing lids. Another tingle led to a subsequent sneeze. Skin felt colder by each passing moment as chills radiated from her huddled center. Pressing a hand to forehead, temperature heated as frozen fingers warmed. Sicker than before, she tallied the remaining daylight as a new plan was devised. The hidden cavern was halfway along the trail, and she would be there soon to set up camp. There wouldn't be enough time to make the whole voyage home before the dark ushered in frigid temperatures.

As Kagome gathered her things to disembark, a minacious aura roamed over gradually. She immediately recognized to whom it belonged.

Evocation of the last encounter played as a reminder that once again, she was still alive. She remembered remnants of his heady glare, the severing pain from sharpened claws, the swell of her warmth and the sea of his darkness. And so it had been perplexing to have awoken just outside the barrier of her abandoned village. It was even more puzzling to have found the carcass of a large gutted hare, laid flatly a few paces beside her upon waking. Thoughts had been occupied for days by the strangeness of the daiyoukai's actions, and she was still no closer to figuring what exactly he wanted from her. The only rational notion was that he hadn't wanted her dead, at least not yet.

A lone figure emerged in the distant peak, taking a forceful leap before landing in the narrow clearing. Sesshomaru wore the same; white and red, blue and gold. _Did youkais get cold?_

"I'm not afraid of you," Kagome pronounced, upturning her chin defiantly. Twice they encountered, and twice she had lived. Whatever game he was playing, she felt emboldened to challenge.

Piercing eyes slanted toward her unknowingly bared throat. Her shiver was slight from the ensuing wind; from patches of bareness between soft cloths. "I do not seek _fear_."

"I don't want to fight you, either," came her callow retort. _Seriously, what does he want?_

A slender hand lifted, pointed tips spread. Youki encircled, poison materialized. "_Defend yourself_."

Unexpected and swift, Kagome recoiled at the sudden onslaught while remaining unmoving and still. A hair out of place and she knew she'd be minced.

Coming close without contact, glowing whips of youki danced in a flurry of green. The trailing light cacooned her still as familiar warmth soon began prickling just beneath her skin. It was a wondering sensation she wished to control. Her potential had since lain dormant. That was until now, seemingly reacting to Sesshomaru's threats. _Was this what he wanted to see? _

Just as abruptly, the mock attacks ceased as tightened eyes opened to regard her opponent. His aura receded and a clawed hand lowered, long sleeves once again shielding the deadly points from view. Inclining his chin slightly, he critiqued. "Your concealment balsam is inadequate."

A conversation – she was more comfortable with, and preferable to violence. Taking the opening, she unflinchingly replied. "It's the best I can come up with, since my previous method is no longer an option." _His senses are keen._

"Your previous method?"

"An enchanted rosary. It broke that day we first met." Fingers absently splayed over her collar as recollection surfaced of their encounter three moons ago. "I couldn't find the spell to fix it."

The beads she had gathered, but useless it remained without the proper enchantment. A dear friend had provided protection, and now that protection was gone, along with the rest. At this moment, she once again felt immensely alone.

A gust uplifted, shifting her sorrow while cascading his snow white strands. It was almost ethereal – otherworldly – the way he stood. Seemingly untouched by elements and untouched by time. He turned to face the direction of the dwindling daylight, no longer focused on her. His expression became far, a subtle glaze to his eyes. Following his focus, a compatible silence fell between them.

"Is it true," Kagome decided to tread cautiously a while later, "that you conquered and killed thousands ruthlessly?"

Melancholy coated each word, hesitation radiating from her lips. He reflected the past in muted contemplation, though outwardly his expression remained cooly impassive. "Each has their truths."

_An affirmation._ There was a deepening desire to know, and she found herself desperate. "Were you there during the insurgence?"

"There was no need for my involvement."

The unspoken hid between tactful words, loud as they were silent. _They didn't make it that far._ It was uneasy contentment; that though her friends and family had risen against an army of nefarious youkais, it wasn't _this_ youkai that had ended them. This truth she chose to believe.

But that was many years ago. Time has passed. Time has not healed. So the subject was changed. "Why do you seek me out?"

It was a question he had dissected many times over. Ever since their first brush of contact, a nagging need to understand his magnanimous actions resounded. Yet, answers were none closer, and there were more questions still. It had been irksome. Preternatural eyes turned to level her eyes. "I have my reasons."

Meeting his look unblinkingly, she was curious to know, so she continued to pry. "What would those reasons be?"

What reason does he have? A presence was felt, a power explored. It was only logical for a ruler to know thy threats. The source had been found and suspicions confirmed. Why he felt the need to confabulate with this woman was _beyond_ his reasoning. Why he was still, he began to wonder again. It was unlike him, and thus this _must_ end. This was fleeting intrigue. This was a _distraction_. He has had _enough_ answers.

Golden gaze hardened at her pressing inquiry, rending a look that unnerved her in a shuddering chill. Thinking that perhaps it was the wrong thing to ask, she was about to rephrase when Sesshomaru drew his sword in a slow display, the blade chiming vividly in the frosty air.

Suddenly on alert, Kagome's eyes widened as she backed away in dawning apprehension. "Wha…what are you doing..?"

His expression darkened, the corner of his lips lifting in feral intensity. Without a word, the sword swung down fluidly as a glimmering barrier materialized, shielding the miko from the deafening strike.

Hearing the impact but not dead from the blow, Kagome peeked behind shielding arms to witness her creation and predicament. A foot above her head was the gleam of his sword, blocked and sparking from contact with her buckling barrier.

She could feel it now, the movement and churning of her glowing reiki in turbulent waves. She could visualize the path of energy flowing from her upturned hands to the forming foundation of the circular fort. Entranced and elated, more energy was willed into the magical sphere in beguiling bewilderment, testing her control just to be sure it was real.

She was so transfixed that she hadn't realized the lifting of a sword, nor the singular downward swing that forcefully shattered the magic of her barricade.

In a vigorous blaze, reiki dispersed as Kagome finally succumbed to the drain on her energy and spirit.

Moving to catch her fall, the miko's limp body laid cradled against Sesshomaru's hard armour, gossamer fur brushing against pink cheeks.

When ladened lids struggled to lift, visions of white and silver glossed over unfocused eyes.

And when arms and legs struggled in her dream-bound state, only a firming hold barred her movements and kept her still.


	5. Chapter 5

**Acclimated**

**Chapter 5**

Evening iridescence reflected off sheen-coated skin and ebony slick tresses. Brows creased in an unseen battle beneath the vestige of fading nightmares while dark lashes quaked from wresting consciousness. Lulling warmth permeated along her side as she nestled closer, the soothing cradle pulling further into somnolence. However, torpor soon began vanishing as wakefulness timidly broadened at the brush of a gelid breeze.

Fluttering open, unseeing eyes searched and saw nothing but melding silhouettes and twisting shadows. The lethargic girl lifted a hand to gently rub away blurred visions, cerulean orbs meeting the sharp contours of a resembling profile.

Kagome alarmingly tried prying away at the abrupt realization, but a heavy arm lay draped across her abdomen, keeping her flushed against a slowly rising chest. Trapped, unsettling panic rose to the forefront as scenarios played about her veritable fate. There was no room to escape, weapons nowhere in reach, and too drained to feel even a dribble of reiki. Frazzling thoughts turned to her intrepid nature, guiltily admitting that she had brought this upon herself.

"Rest," came a quiet command, stilling her squirming movements before she cautiously peered at the source.

Magenta-lined lids revealed eddying gold in a reposeful stare. There was something about the way he looked that was different from the last, and she eventually found herself calming at the serenity of his features. That was, until notice was taken of their close proximity; her furled position upon his lap. Beginning to fluster as heat rose to her cheeks, she glanced away fleetingly.

Sensing her rising nervousness, Sesshomaru gently tightened his hold, and repeated his claim. "Rest," he soothed. "You are tired."

A newfound strangeness rooted even further confusion. Was she still dreaming? The situation was illusory to prior convictions, so much so that it was it was almost hypocritical. The daiyoukai's ambivalence stemmed spiralling curiosity, but his words had been true; she was undeniably tired.

Abandoning moderation, she minutely leaned into his signalling clasp, tilted head resting against the broadness of his silk-covered chest. "I don't understand you," she professed in a half-whisper, sleepy eyes shutting. "I don't understand _this_."

"There is nothing to understand." An almost unnoticeable vibration ran along his reply, felt beneath the leaning side of her face and solidifying the reality of his nearness.

"But there _is,_" she hazily rebutted, "You keep finding me. Why?"

"I sought answers."

Kagome hummed absently at the repeated reply, remembering the last time those words left his lips. "What do you want to know this time?"

When a response was not forthcoming, she then supplied. "I haven't had anyone to talk to since I lost my family." A sorrowful sigh breached a pause between words. "Then you came along, and I think this is the most I've said in years."

Nothing else vocalized between them as a subtle beat allayed and assuaged, and Kagome soon began drifting in the deep of night.

-X-

Rising steam warmed and dampened, creating a misty haven reprieved from the season's lingering chill. Lying against a smooth stone ledge, Kagome relaxed in a relieving hotspring, dipping chest-deep in the balmy pool. Slowly but surely, each muscle relaxed in suspended weightlessness.

Scooping a handful of water, she lifted to her forehead before letting it pour languidly in trickling comfort. As she drew down to cup the water again, her attention slipped to two evident lesions. Pale, almost parallel lines sliced tawny skin along the length of her left forearm. She considered them her battle scars, though they were less jarring than most. To her, they were actually somewhat…elegant. Both cuts had been clean and healed surprisingly fast, leaving no raised welts and minimal discolouration. It could have been worse. _I could have lost an arm. _Fingers lightly traced its curve around her wrist and she was reminded of a striking purple. _They are like his._

Imagery emerged of their previous shared evening, and she quickly shook the impression away. Since then, Sesshomaru had begun visiting in increasing frequency. It had somewhat settled into an arbitrary routine as every few weeks, he would appear with another sporadic question. He would ask directly, and she would answer politely. Nothing more than passing interest, it would seem. She'd share stories of her upbringing, of past lives in the village and other humanly traits. And occasionally a question of her own was posed, but most had been met with silent regard.

Feeling the pruning of her tips and toes, Kagome got up and dressed in a light yukata. Spring had crested and winter layers had been shed. Wringing out the wetness from silky hair, she openly embraced the enlivening crispness of a milder season. Nimble fingers were combing the tangles from flowing locks when an unmistakeable youki brushed against refreshed senses.

When the landing of footsteps carried to her ears, she continued her grooming without turning around. "You're here with more questions?"

"I am done with questions," his deep reply rumbled closer than initially thought.

Stiffening slightly, her voice was audaciously levelled. "If you're here to finish me, I hope you know I'm not going down without a fight." Perhaps it was foolish to taunt such a creature, but for some reason, she had begun to trust his aloof detachment. After all, he has not made any more attempts on her life since the night at the mountain.

"I do not expect you to." Hot breath whispered against the back of her ear, eliciting a rousing sensation as fine hairs stood straight along the bareness of her nape. Her own breath hitched as a tender claw began trailing across her delicate jaw, down the expanse of a slender neck and stopping at the dip of her clavicle.

Turning promptly, cerulean blue met a glowing set of red in a transfixed gaze. She backed away timidly but he soon closed the gap, encaging her against the stony ledge of the thermal hotspring.

Tilting towards her neck, the demon took a steadying breath, basking in familiar scents of lavender and citrus. A shudder released as she felt the brush of his sharp nose against electrified skin, flashing a feeling of cooling heat. _What is he doing..?_

Slowly, a hazardous claw tip began tracing along the pulsing column, faintly releasing a miniscule amount of poison along the way. She instantaneously hissed as burning skin rose in reaction, leaving behind a pinkish welt and a thin line of dotted red. Sesshomaru elated as tendrils of power surfaced to combat his affliction. _Lemongrass._

Leaning in closer, a zealous tongue darted out to lap at the trickling blood, tasting the undercurrent of untempered power. Kagome inhaled sharply at the spiking touch, a blissful pleasure mollifying the pain upon his ministrations. She had remained still, but unaccustomed to such intimate actions had begun squirming, when a guttural growl filled the air and she stilled once again.

About to protest, a thumb pressed at the base of her throat in a silent reprimand as her mouth snapped shut. In one last sweep, his tongue trailed up the length of her neck before giving enough space to meet her gloss-coated eyes. A heated expression of baffling disorientation stared back, but his was implacable. He saw through the confusion to her own curiosity; her own intrigue of the transpiring cadence.

Without notice, cool lips came crashing down to press hotly against hers, pointed fangs nipping at plump edges as a malleable tongue sought passage. She parted without control, becoming a bystander of her sentient body's whims, melting against his penetrating kiss. Angling deeper, one hand crept up the base of her nape to grip still damp hair, the other pressed at the curve of her lower back to pin against his sturdy form.

When his searing kiss finally released, she was audibly gasping for withheld air through heady lungs as her heart thrummed loudly beneath her breast. Glimpsing downwards, she noticed her hands had unconsciously wound tightly to the collar of his spotless kimono. She splayed them flatly, feeling the pulse of the imposing demon before her with longing fascination.

"I thought you wanted to kill me," she voiced breathlessly.

His nails raked along the base of her skull tentatively in long, slow strokes. "I did."

Her angelic features beamed in the glow of the setting sun. "But not now?"

"No," he answered truthfully.

And suddenly, the forest didn't feel quite as bare.

END.

A/N: This is my first *completed* fic. I kinda like it, kinda hate it. Feedback and comments will make me happy.


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